Stripped Lugs
 

Back a couple months ago, I got new wheels on my car. I had new lugs put on, and every thing was fine. Today I decided to remove the intake resonator. I would have removed it, had I been able to take off the wheel! Evidently, one of the lugs won't come off, the stud is probably stripped. I assume that American Tire probably did a little overtightening, or maybe the wrong lugs were used.:mad: :mad: :mad:

Stripped Lugnut
 

I had the same thing happen when i got my aftermarket rims. I think they put the lug in a air powered tool and slam them on. Its not their car so why should they care. I had to find a local rim shop with a similar lug that i had to file down so my anti-theft lug removal tool would fit. I took the car back and they replaced the threaded bolt as well.


Mike

This is my area of expertise. America's Tire MUST replace the lugnut and stud if they f*cked up. It's about a 15 minute job and costs them less than $10. Make damn sure you go back there and have them fix their screw-up. They should be more than happy to do so in order to save face.

On a different note, you don't want to remove the intake resonator. It swirls the intake charge, essentially forcing more air into the engine. You can do it if you want more sound, but I'd reccomend saving up for exhaust.

Are we talking about a lug nut that just seems to spin and spin without coming off or a lug nut that has its points rounded off and can't be turned with a socket?

If it's the former, and that's your area of expertise, how do you remove a stud that spins with the nut that's threaded onto it?

The lug nut just refuses to move at a certain point, you'd really have to yank on it to get it off. I'm taking the car in today, and I'll find out exactly what went wrong.

TorGod, explain to me how swirling the air would force more air into the intake:confused: . Don't you want the air to be straight, instead of turbulent? Yes, really the only reason I wanted to remove it was for a bit more sound, and I would modify the pipe as to pull air from the original location.

STUCK LUGNUT
 

My lug was stuck on the stud like big blue SVX described. The tire jockey just used an air powered tool and very slowly with max force it backed out. They then replaced the stud there and because they were custom lugs no auto parts store had anything close. I found a local rim shop that had a lug I could use for free. You would think it would be common sense to put the lug on by hand at first until reaching for the air tool.

America's Tire Co. was finally able to get the lug off. They then sent me to an alignment shop, because they don't do any mechanical work. The car should be down by tomorrow, the shop is going to replace the stud and check the torque on the other wheels. Americas Tire is paying for it, but if I were paying for it, I'd be looking at a bill of around $300:eek: .

Lug bolts and nuts
 

Hi everyone, After having lug bolts and nuts messed up over the years, I always buy two of each for each car in the houshold and don't have to wait around a tire place while they send someone out to the Subaru dealer to get replacements for the ones they have destroyed. Take care, BOBB

not again...
 

today I tried to take the same wheel off, and once again, another lug is seized, which means I'm back to the shop for another new stud. At least I'm not paying for it. Whats the cause? The shop said they torqued everything to 80 ft-lbs, which is fine. Is it the lug nuts? Looking through the SVX manual, it actually shows to NOT use the kind of lug I got with the new wheels, so this could be the problem. Heres a picture of the OEM lugs (left) compared with my new lugs (right).

BigBlueSVX, I'm sorry to hear about your ordeal with your new wheels and lug nuts. :(

I checked out that pic and yeah, those new lug nuts don't look nearly as sturdy as the stock ones...

-Chike

<<Is it the lug nuts? Looking through the SVX manual, it actually shows to NOT use the kind of lug I got with the new wheels, so this could be the problem.>>

if the lug thread is different on the lugs the new wheels came with, it will eventually destroy all your lugs. most car companies have different lug threads, so they might have sent you the wrong type. is there a reason why you don't use your old lugnets? are they too big or look bad?

The old lugs don't look too bad, although some of them are rusted. I'm not sure if they fit the new wheels, but I'll found out soon. The threads appear to be the same.

Nuts and bolts
 

Hi BigblueSVX, The reference in the owners manual about the kind of lug nut to use is referring to the oem wheels. Any other wheels would have different lug nuts. Take care, BOBB

So it shouldn't matter what lugs I use, and the torque is ok, so what went wrong (twice in a row)?

Only things I can think of:

1) The thread pattern of the new lug nuts is slightly different and will not work on the SVX

2) The threads in the new lug nuts are not strong enough to be torqued to 80 ft-lbs causing breakage...

-Chike